taw

taw · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*dewh₂-“to tie to, secure”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*tawjaną“to make, prepare”
3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*tauwjan
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*tawōn
5. Old English · inherited fromtawian“to do, make”
6. Middle English · inherited fromtawen
7. English todaytaw

From Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian (“to do, make”), from Proto-West Germanic *tawōn, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *tauwjan, from Proto-Germanic *tawjaną (“to make, prepare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”). Cognate with Dutch touwen (“to rope, tether, curry”), Dutch tuien (“to fasten with ropes”), German Tau (“rope, hawser, cable”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (taujan, “to make, prepare”). Related to tool and possibly to tether.

taw · noun, verb²

Unknown. Attested in English from the 18th century. Compare Old English tāw (“instrument”). Also compare Irish togh (“choose, elect”).

taw · noun³

Compare Phoenician 𐤕 (tāw), Hebrew ת (tav), Arabic تاء (tāʔ).

taw · verb⁴

Compare tew (“to tow”), and tow.

Words from the same roots